How to Brush Your Pomeranians Teeth

You are not alone! As a Pommy Mommy of two Poms that used to have bad breath – one of which recently had to have a tooth extraction – I can speak from some experience in this department.

Bad breath is often an indicator of poor dental hygiene (I wish I would have known this a long time ago!) Poms, and many other toy breeds, are prone to dental problems and early tooth loss, but the good news is that much of it can be prevented by providing your Pom with the proper care.

One of the most important things a Pommy Mommy can do to prevent and treat bad breath and other dental problems is to brush their Pom’s teeth every day.

Before you say, “There’s no way my Pom is going to let me do this,” trust me when I say it can be done – and it must be done for your Pom’s health. I thought the same thing, neglected my Poms’ teeth, and then my little Foxy got an infection and had to have a tooth pulled. I felt terrible!

It’s important to make teeth-brushing time a part of your Pom’s daily routine so he or she will get used to it. Starting when they’re still a puppy is ideal, but it’s never too late. Before you charge right in with a toothbrush, try running your finger over your Pom’s teeth. Once they’re used to that, you can try putting a dollop of canine toothpaste on a finger toothbrush, which is a small, soft piece that fits over your finger but has brush-like bristles. If they adjust well to that, you can go for a doggie toothbrush with the doggie toothpaste. (Note: Never use your own toothpaste when brushing your dog’s teeth, as it contains toxins harmful to dogs.)

If your Pom’s mouth is simply too small or they haven’t warmed up to the toothbrushing – as was the case for my Poms – try using a small washcloth or wrapping a piece of gauze around your finger to smear on the toothpaste and clean their teeth. My vet suggested the gauze-around-your-finger method for Foxy and Bear-Bear and that was what worked for us.

Another big help? They love the chicken-flavored canine toothpaste! My Poms have come to like the toothpaste so much they see it as a treat, and therefore the teeth-brushing routine has become much more enjoyable for all of us!You can find several flavors of canine toothpaste at the pet store that will make toothbrushing much more palatable for your Poms. (If you want to skip the canine toothpaste, you can also just mix some baking soda with water.) And of course, remember to praise your Pom in the process of introducing them to the tooth brushing.

If you’ve tried and tried and brushing of any kind isn’t working, there’s also dental gels, sprays and wipes that can be used.

In addition to brushing/cleaning on a daily basis, it’s also crucial to get your Pom to the vet for a professional cleaning at least once a year. Daily brushings help remove plaque, but the professional cleaning will remove tarter build-up. It’s also a good chance for the vet to get a look at your Pom’s teeth and make sure no serious dental problems are surfacing.

Feeding your Pom dry dog food, along with dental bones and chew toys, can also help keep their teeth healthy.

Hopefully after all of this your Pommy no longer has bad breath. However, if you’ve tried all of these tactics and your Pom’s breath is still less than stellar, it could be a sign of a more serious dental problem and you should see your vet immediately.

I brush my pommie’s teeth ( and his brother a who is a chi mix) after their walk–it makes such a difference, as they are as calm as they can be after a walkMy vets always comment on how clean my dogs teeth look. I cannot imagine NOT brushing my dogs teeth every day-their mouths would be smelly and gross.

My Pom whose name is Foxy as well will not let us touch her face or mouth. We adopted her when she was 9 ( now she is 16), and it has been a struggle. I might try the gauge thing,but most likely I’ll get bit. Thanks for the tips.

Rikke,
I’m so, so sorry to hear about your sweet baby. Thanks for your advice about brushing to all other Pommy Mommys out there. You’re right, every day with our Poms is a blessing!
Pom Mom Jaime Mowers

Unfortunately I was very unlucky to loose my otherwise healthy Pom to anaesthesia during a tooth deep clean. Several teeth was pulled, including one which had broken down to the nerve. Needless to say I was heartbroken before the surgery, as I felt I had let him down by not making the effort to make him used to the toothbrushing. 2 hours in to his surgery, I felt as if it should be enough time spent in anaesthesia.. And one hour later I had the awful news.. Guys, follow your gut instinct, and demand to be percent by your doggy s side while he’s under (you can do that, and if your vet doesn’t allow it.. Find another) make sure to tell your vet to keep your doggy under for as short as time as possible, not exceeding 1 1/2 hours. Stay away from royal canins food as it contains something which is proven to weaken your poms heart. Many froends have lost their babies due to heart problems after switching to this brand. But most importantly… BRUSH!! Just figure out a way to make it work. Avoid having surgery on your doggy. Bad teeth kills poms. And mine at only 5… That should be incentive enough.. Keeping your Pom alive. I’m happy I spent so much time with him while he was alive as I stood there and at least felt he had had a full life, seen the world with me and enjoyed the Sunday bacon every day with your baby is a blessing, don’t forget that.

I know my Pom needs better dental care but she really dislikes the brushing. I tried the wipes and she’s not a fan of those either. I wonder if I should just keep forcing her to endure me attacking her mouth.

I noticed she does have a chipped tooth and the vet took a look and said it should be ok. Now I wonder if I should get a second opinion.

Thanks for reading and writing! I know you said your Pommy really dislikes the brushing and doesn’t like the wipes either…have you tried the gel? Maybe that might be a little easier? Also, I will say this, when I first started this with my Poms they absolutely hated it, and now they don’t mind it much at all. In fact, my one Pom looks forward to it, haha. Sometimes, it’s just a matter of doing it over and over so they get used to it. BUT, the second thing you said about your Pommy’s chipped tooth also has me thinking that maybe the tooth is bothering her, and maybe that’s why she’s not big on you trying to get in her mouth and do any sort of brushing. It’s just a thought, and you’re right, it never hurts to get a second opinion! Hope that helps! Let me know how it works out!

Hi Wanda!
Thanks for reading and I’m so happy to hear that you got your precious Pachee the dental care that he needed and he’s acting like a frisky pup again:)
Pom Mom Jaime Mowers
Author of this blog post

I do brush my poms teeth, and they are also on raw diets so they eat raw bones which helps to clean their teeth alot. I have wanted to do the professional cleaning but the anesthesia really freaks me out. I worry to much.

Hi Janae! I have all of the Pommys at the Pommy Mommy house on a raw diet as well and they boys love to eat bones! Because we rescued the boys when they were so young they are lucky to have all of their teeth! The girls are not so lucky, they had been through horrible abuse with their previous owners and have had to have many teeth pulled. Anesthesia can be a scary thing, however there are tests that you can have your vet run to make sure that your girls are okay to go under. I know you take wonderful care of them, and if you’ve had them since they were puppies and they have no medical issues I’m sure they will be okay! Check with your vet and see what they say. A little tooth brushing every now and then is always a good thing! Good job for being such a great “Pommy Mommy” And lets face it, chicken/peanut butter toothpaste is wayyyyy less scary than anesthesia!

My Pom “Pachee” is 5 years old and had a tooth extracted because it was cracked up into the nerve and also had his teeth cleaned for the 1st time. His previous vet would not think of any dental work for him. I was really frustrated about this as I could see that ny Poms teeth needed more attention than I could give him so I had to take action and find my Pom another vet and I am sure glad I did. The new vet said that my Pom was probably having bad headaches from the cracked tooth that went up into the nerve. The new vet did the extraction and the cleaning and now my Pachee acts like a frisky pet again and seems much happier and more playful. I thank God for my decision to switch vets and now my Pom is healthy again. I love my Pachee so much and will not let anything stand in the way of him getting the proper care that needs.

During a professional cleaning at the groomer’s, there’s no anesthesia. The groomer is often able to clean your Pom’s teeth and reach those hard-to-get to spots a little better and remove tartar build-up. Only a deep cleaning at the vet would be where anesthesia is used, and they shouldn’t need to do that that unless a tooth needs to be extracted. As always, make sure you talk everything over with your vet to decide what’s right for your Pommy, and make sure you’re comfortable with whatever decision you come to! Hope that helps!

I also had concerns about putting my Pom under anesthesia for his tooth extraction and deep cleaning, but my Pom is very healthy otherwise and our vet was confident he could handle the anesthesia. I base these blogs on my own personal experiences with Poms and the research that I do, but I am not qualified to offer advice that should come from a vet. Please talk with your vet so you can both decide what you feel is best for your Pommy! Also, keep in mind that not all teeth cleanings require anesthesia. Thanks for writing!

I know your suppose to take your dogs to get a teeth cleaning but this also frightens me. I have had a friend who’s young cat got put under anesthesia and did not come out. Could you give me some insight on these concerns? Also my pom is 11 and has seizure (she is not on meds due to how often she has them) is it wise to go for a teeth cleaning at this age in her life and with her problems?

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